NCAA Clearing house: "Cleared" or "Not Cleared?"

There
is all this talk about the NCAA Clearing house and eligibility, but
what does it all mean? What does it mean if I am 'cleared' or 'not
cleared'.

The
NCAA uses the Eligibility Center to certify the academic and amateur
credentials of college-bound student-athletes who want to play Division
one or Division two athletics. This used to be called the NCAA Clearing
house, but was changed to the Eligibility Center.

Once certified by the Eligibility Center, you are eligible to compete in
NCAA athletics. That does not mean you will be accepted to the school
of your choice. Each school has their own admission standards that are
separate from a college-bound student-athlete's eligibility.

It is possible that you are eligible to participate in college athletics
but cannot get accepted to the school that is recruiting you. It is
also possible to be accepted to the school but not eligible to play.

If you are having difficulty getting certified with the Eligibility
Center because of your academic achievement in high school, there are
some options that might allow you to achieve your dream of playing NCAA
hockey.

One option is to enroll full-time at the school that is recruiting you
and not play hockey for the first year. Another option is to enroll
full-time at a 2-year or 4-year institution that does not have a hockey
program while you are playing Junior hockey. If you can get good enough
grades this could create the opportunity to enter the school of your
choice as a transfer student.

Remember that if you write the SAT more than once, you can use the best
score from each sub section. For example, you can take the best score
you achieved in the math section and combine it with the best score you
achieved in the English section to give you a better overall score.

When considering your Division III hockey options you can rest easy that
you are not required to be have your academic credentials certified by
the Eligibility Center. You still must be considered an amateur, but
there is more leeway in terms of your academic performance.